Please help - VS 540 printing issue

[BrianX]

I have had my VS 540 for about 1½ years with very few problems. But this problem has occured several times in the last couple of weeks. In the middle of a print, it is printing what looks like all the heads firing at once on the right side of the print. (See photo attached). It will continue to print the image with greatly reduced image quality until I stop it. A cleaning cycle has always restored the quality - but the current print is destroyed.
Can anyone tell me what is going on, and what to do about it?

 

[CanuckSigns]

we have a similar issue with our sp-540, except it only happens with .tiff files created from powerpoint. and it prints right over the image.

 

[Solventinkjet]

I have seen that pattern on a Mutoh ValueJet. The issue was static noise in the main cable that runs from the carriage board to the main board. Check to see if the cable is plugged in properly and not knocked loose in any way. Also check to see if the cable is moving in a smooth motion when the head moves back and forth. If it is jumping up and down and/or hitting/rubbing any part of the covers that it normally doesn't, that could cause this issue. Other than that try grounding out the machine. It has been hot and dry in most of the country which causes more static build up thus more static disturbance inflicted on the cables.

 

[Mr Gerbik]

I have seen this before. Update the firmware to the current version. This should fix it, if not call your dealer. The VS has a 2 year warranty, get it fixed while still under warranty.

 

[Custom_Grafx]

I have seen this before. Update the firmware to the current version. This should fix it, if not call your dealer. The VS has a 2 year warranty, get it fixed while still under warranty.

Agree. Seen it too, went away after a FW upgrade. What version is your FW?

 

[DigitalPrintTech]

This is a cable issue, for sure.
Noise issue, inspect all cable connections on the print carriage (ie head, print carriage)
I would pull the back cover off the main board area to just inspect the cables there too, doubtful there is any problem there but I have seen stranger things.

Inspect all the cables in their socket, there could be just a loose cable on the head. There is 4 large cables going to the head on your machine. If any of the cables in the print signal map are crooked or half plugged in, simply unplug them and reseat.

But WAIT!

Do not unplug any cables until the machine is powered off and unplugged.
Current Firmware for your machine is 4.00.

 

[2B]

we are running VS 640 and had this happen, it is the firmware being outdated or a cable loose to the control panel

 

[Custom_Grafx]

This is a cable issue, for sure.
Noise issue, inspect all cable connections on the print carriage (ie head, print carriage)
I would pull the back cover off the main board area to just inspect the cables there too, doubtful there is any problem there but I have seen stranger things.

Inspect all the cables in their socket, there could be just a loose cable on the head. There is 4 large cables going to the head on your machine. If any of the cables in the print signal map are crooked or half plugged in, simply unplug them and reseat.

But WAIT!

Do not unplug any cables until the machine is powered off and unplugged.
Current Firmware for your machine is 4.00.

Actually 4.2.

 

[DigitalPrintTech]

Well that must have just come out within the last day or two, I have not updated my Roland database since last Friday because I have been on an HP Flatbed install this week.

Nevertheless, I doubt its FW, but its always good to update.

My suggestion would be do ONE thing at a time, so you know what is actually causing the problem. Trying to change too many things at once and you will never really know what fixed it.

 

[Custom_Grafx]

4.1's been out for a while, 4.2 a couple weeks or so back. I'm currently on 4.1. I can't recall at which version it went away, but I had this happen to me twice within a week, after having no issue for about a year. Didn't do anything apart from update firmware and it went away, so I guess that coulda been it. Also, the fact that there have been numerous people reporting the same thing at around the same time.

 

[WCSign]

I had this happen randomly one morning... just so happened the tech was coming to look at my roland that same day. He came, told me to update my firmware/software, we did that and it started printing fine again.

 

[BrianX]

Thanks for the suggestions

I checked all the cables and they were fine, so I updated the firmware. That seems to have taken care of it - it hasn't done it since! Thanks to everyone for taking the time to help!

 

[Jack Knight1979]

Oh man. When stuff like that happens to me I can feel my blood pressure hit about 400/180. haha.

Luckily nothing a reboot couldn't take care of.

I had this happen randomly one morning... just so happened the tech was coming to look at my roland that same day. He came, told me to update my firmware/software, we did that and it started printing fine again.